Scottsdale Injury Lawyers Hired to Represent Phoenix Teenager Paralyzed by the Wrongdoing of Another
Scottsdale Injury Lawyers Hired to Represent Phoenix Teenager Paralyzed by the Wrongdoing of Another
Scottsdale Injury Lawyers was recently hired to represent a seventeen-year-old Phoenix teenager who was tragically injured last month. The injury occurred in downtown Phoenix at a local convenient store. The injury left the client paralyzed from the mid-section down and unable to use his legs.
All the details surrounding the incident cannot be disclosed because the client is a minor. Nevertheless, our personal injury attorneys strongly believe that the injury was caused by the negligence and wrongdoing of the store’s employees. We further believe that evidence supports that the store itself was guilty of acts and omissions leading to the injury. Specifically, the failure to adequately train and supervise its staff and failure to have clear rules and policies in place to prevent the harm caused to the firm’s minor client.
Paraplegia and Personal Injury Cases
Paraplegia is an impairment in the motor or sensory functions of the lower extremities. A traumatic spinal cord injury may cause temporary or permanent paraplegia. Generally, paraplegia results from trauma to the spinal cord at the mid (thoracic) to lower (lumbar) back. When the spinal cord is injured traumatically, the nerve messages from the brain fail to communicate with the nerve endings in the body below where the injury occurred.
The injury to the spinal cord does not have to result in a complete severing of it for paraplegia to occur. In fact, often times, the loss of function that results from paraplegia may be caused by a contusion or impact to the spinal cord or by compression of blood flow to the injured section of the spinal cord. A complete spinal cord injury is one that results in loss of all sensory and motor function. Both sides of the body are affected equally. This may result in the loss of bowel and bladder function among other things.
The prognosis for someone with paraplegia depends on several factors and is highly fact specific. The number one factor is the extent of the original injury. The more severe the initial injury, the less likely the individual is to regain sensory function. In fact, most individuals who sustain a complete spinal cord injury, as opposed to an incomplete spinal cord injury (one where some sensory function remains below the level of the injury), are unlikely to regain function below the level of the injury.
However, recent developments in medicine and science provide hope for those who have paraplegia. Stem cell research shows promising possibilities to help those that are suffering from paraplegia. Clinical trials are underway to test the possibilities. Trials for injections of stem cells into the spinal cord have been performed at the Medical Center at USC, Mayo Clinic and other locations.
In addition, advancements in robotics may provide promise to paraplegics. With robotic assistive devices, people with paraplegia are capable of walking. Robotic exo-skeletons provide individuals with paraplegia the freedom to stand and move on their own. These devices could change the life of a paralyzed person allowing them the freedom to be self-sufficient and regain independence.
The Importance of Recovering Damage in Personal Injury Cases With A Paralyzed Client
While it is clear that hope exists for those suffering from paraplegia, such hope is not without great expense. Traditionally, the medical expenses for a paraplegic are astronomical. According to a 2015 Data Sheet published by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the costs for a paraplegic in the first year is over $500,000. In each subsequent year, the cost are approximately $70,000. This means, that over the course of a lifetime, the costs of care for a paraplegic is millions of dollars. The costs of these new technologies—stem cell therapy and robotic assistive devices, will only increase this amount.
These staggering costs are further complicated by the fact that most paraplegics are unable to find meaningful employment. According to the same 2015 Data Sheet, only about 1 in 10 individuals are employed one year after suffering a spinal cord injury. Even at 10, 20 and 30 years after a spinal cord injury, only about 1 in 3 individuals find themselves gainfully employed.
With the high costs of medical care and the likelihood that someone with paraplegia is unlikely to find secure employment, the resulting financial burdens often fall on the families and loved ones. In any case where someone suffers an injury involving paralysis, it is critical that his or her future needs are accounted for. It is equally important that the attorney handling such a case has consulted with the appropriate medical providers and life care planners to determine what exactly those future needs are going to be.
The attorney then must fight aggressively for every dollar to make sure the injured client receives the compensation and resources needed to provide for his or her future. No amount of money recovered will ever fix the injury or problem. However, a substantial recovery, will allow the injured individual to make the best of a bad situation. It will allow that individual to obtain cutting-edge treatment, needed therapies and assistive devices. It will allow the families and loved ones of these individuals to hire support to help care for the needs of their injured love one. Simply put, it will greatly improve the life of someone who suffers from paraplegia.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured due to the fault of another, contact the personal injury attorneys at Scottsdale Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. In any serious injury case, skilled counsel should be hired to make sure that you or your loved one has the best chance of recovering the much needed financial compensation for the injury. Our attorneys are available now for a free consultation.
About the author: The content on this page was written by Scottsdale personal injury attorney and civil rights lawyer, Tony Piccuta. Piccuta graduated with honors from Indiana University-Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana (Ranked Top 35 US News & World Report 2018). Piccuta took and passed the State bars of Arizona, California, Illinois and Nevada (all on the first try). He actively practices throughout Arizona and California. He is a trial attorney that regularly handles serious personal injury cases and civil rights lawsuits. He has obtained six and seven figure verdicts in both state and federal court. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers for six years straight. He is a member of the Arizona Association of Justice, Maricopa County Bar Association, Scottsdale Bar Association, American Association for Justice, National Police Accountability Project and Consumer Attorneys of California, among other organizations.
Disclaimer: The information on this web site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading and relying upon the content on this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, you should contact our law firm for a free consultation and to discuss your specific case and issues.
Sources:
[4] https://www.nscisc.uab.edu/Public/Facts%202015%20Aug.pdf
